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California Teen Accused of Killing Opossum on Video

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posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 05:10 PM
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Warning for sensitive viewers. The linked article also shows a video about a cat that they believe was intentionally shot with an arrow and survived. The video buffers to a frame with the arrow still in the cats head.



...once it is captured, she said, Livingston proceeds to strike the opossum repeatedly with a meat cleaver. "I believe it's counted that he does it 44 times before the animal eventually dies," she said. In the background, Eley said you can hear the sound of the siblings shrieking and screaming.
abcNEWS by Ki Mae Heussner

Another story about animal abuse. As much as some question the conspiracy angle to such a story I actually think there is one. Not in the story itself but rather in the number of articles released during a relatively short period of time. By no means am I trying to make light of the situation but this alleged method makes things appear worse than they may be. Is this a motive to make people more aware of the situation, taking advantage of media to "show" how bad society is, coincidence or otherwise?

The investigation began in early June although charges weren't filed until this week. They didn't press charges for over 2 months with video evidence and knowledge of the offender, courtesy of Facebook. It suggests to me that they waited for other stories, such as the puppy throwing video earlier this week and the cat in the garbage bin last month to feed right into most of our views that things happen all at once. Coincidence or ulterior motive?


[edit on 9/3/2010 by Three_moons]



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 05:12 PM
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Seems like a lot of teens have a thing for killing or hurting animals. Another terrible fad the kids should never have to take up. I still remember the punks who put a fish hook in my neighbor's kitten mouth. Poor cat has to be hand fed.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 05:30 PM
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I can't bring myself to watching any more animal abuse vids. Animals have feelings and feel pain. There is something wrong with people who would cause cruelty to an innocent animal. We have to ask why do people do these things? Are they that heartless and evil? Are they psychologically disturbed? Something is deeply wrong here and must be stopped.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 05:36 PM
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Some animal populations have to be cut down in size, such as cottontails in my neighborhood, I took some out with a pellet gun because there were too damn many of them, they have no natural predators there.

But intentional cruelty is for the weak and psychological distrubed.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:02 PM
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What is UP with people torturing and killing animals? It's one thing to humanely kill an animal, but to torture and abuse animals is a whole other thing. I just don't understand the mentality of anyone who could abuse and torture anyone or anything just for the 'fun' of it. Sick, Sick, Sick!!!

Edit to say I also don't understand the mentality of someone not seeing anything wrong with torturing, abusing and killing someone or something.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by virraszto]



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:34 PM
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What is so damn wrong about killing oppossums? Cats and dogs are one thing, but oppossums? If there was ever such a thing as a lame animal award, it would be won by a oppossum.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Marrr]



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:46 PM
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reply to post by Marrr
 


Maybe its the method - and I'll admit possums can be pests. So consider 2 ways of getting rid of it.

A quick and humane death by maybe a single shot to the head.

Or

Torturing it to death by 44 whacks with a meat cleaver while filming the spectacle and then posting it online.

See any difference between the two? Lots of folks think one of those is can be a sign of pretty serious mental issues brewing.


Even if you think of a possum as worth no more than a housefly - there is a difference between killing the fly with a single swat and torturing it to death and making a movie about it.

One is something most everyone has to do sooner or later. The other is finding join in causing pain and that is a sickness.










[edit on 3-9-2010 by Frogs]



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:50 PM
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double post

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Miraj]



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:51 PM
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reply to post by Frogs
 


If he had to kill the possum for pest control... a meat cleaver could have easily done the job in one strike. And in a painless fashion.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:51 PM
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reply to post by Marrr
 


Opossums eat rotting vegatation and Carion. They are vital to cleaning up; so to speak, garbage. Why do people hate nature's garbage disposal?



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:52 PM
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Originally posted by Miraj
reply to post by Romantic_Rebel
 


Man if someone hurt my dog or cats I wouldn't report them to the police. I'd just leave them disabled for life and unable to physically say who hurt them..


Well I could tell someone put a fish hook in her mouth because of the way it was in there. Seems you have a lot of kids who think it's cool to inflect pain on small animals.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 06:53 PM
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reply to post by Miraj
 


Well yeah - I agree totally. That's what I'm saying. What he did was sick.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 08:01 PM
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Originally posted by Marrr
What is so damn wrong about killing oppossums? Cats and dogs are one thing, but oppossums? If there was ever such a thing as a lame animal award, it would be won by a oppossum.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Marrr]


If you can't see the difference between a humane killing and a cruel, torturous killing then something is just not quite right.




posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 08:05 PM
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reply to post by virraszto
 


Have you ever killed a possum? They are rather tough and just when you think it's dead and hasn't moved, it does. I am not at all surprised it took 44 lashes with a meat cleaver to kill off this rodent.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 08:18 PM
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reply to post by Marrr
 


44 strikes with a cleaver? The thing made of plastic?

Once it's stopped moving it shouldn't take more than one, maybe two blows to sever the spinal cord at the base of the skull.

Hell, you could probably take out an Elephant with well less than 44 provided its not fighting back.



posted on Sep, 3 2010 @ 08:32 PM
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reply to post by Three_moons
 


I am sorry.

I am apologizing not for the video nor the actions of the teenager.

I am sorry the parents lacked an education to teach their child correctly.

Between right and wrong.

Do I understand animals are killed in slaughterhouses for our meat?

Yes.

Do I agree with that?

No.

Just as I do not agree in this barbarism.

The teenager should be punished.

But so should the parents.

For raising their child ignorantly.

Peer pressure is not an excuse as far I am concerned either.

If your peer's pressure you into doing something against your will?

Then they are not your friends, period.

They are merely pressuring you into doing something equally ignorant.

I have ended many friendships over this ignorance.

Permanently.

If this act of aggression and or ignorance is condoned it means one thing.

Society is just as barbarous and atrocious.

I do not care if the animal was an opposum or a cat.

Hurting animals needlessly, as in not for food, is wrong.

If I were raised as a hunter I would hunt my own meat and screw Winn-Dixie.

Unfortunately, in society today, people are lazy as Hell.

In the case of this teenager and the opposum?

Ignorant, stupid, malevolent all come to mind, that is my putting it mildly.

As for the cat with the arrow in its head that person should be neutered.

Not chemically.

Castration is not too much for that person.

Right in front of friends, family, and co-workers.

I am an animal person, more a cat-person, than a dog-person.

But in the larger picture I love all animals.

Whether they end up on my plate for dinner or not.

I was taught to respect nature.

Not abuse it.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by SpartanKingLeonidas]



posted on Sep, 4 2010 @ 03:32 AM
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I feel the need to say this as my OP may have given the wrong impression although I was attempting to look at it from a different angle. I am in full agreement with all in regards to being against animal cruelty. If you need to kill an animal for food, because it's a pest, injured or otherwise do it quickly, in a humane manner and without torture. In my mind there's clearly a psychological issue with anyone, regardless of age, who feels the need to torture animals and is often an initial, evolutionary step towards killing humans. Recording it only makes the psychological issues more profound, probably in order to relive it again for their own enjoyment in some deranged way. Parents are certainly to blame for their child's' upbringing the vast majority of times but in this case the offender was 19 and should have been able to think for himself. The fact that he psychologically tortured his siblings in addition to physically torturing the opossum only speaks further to his twisted, demented mind.

The article mentioned that he's been charged with a felony and faces up to three years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both. It doesn't mention anything about a psychiatric evaluation or similar which I vehemently disagree with. I admit I haven't seen very many studies regarding rehabilitation and imprisonment but punishing people with only monetary fines and imprisonment doesn't do anything for some crimes, especially one like this in my opinion. There's an obvious problem with this persons mind and failing to identify and solve the problem won't change anything as far as I'm concerned.

As stated in my OP, I was more curious of the timing of multiple animal abuse videos being released and the reasons, if any, for them.



posted on Sep, 4 2010 @ 03:38 AM
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reply to post by Night Star
 


I must agree, seen enough.
Kids are getting their thrills from violence. It is a sad and dangerous trend that I see no end to; I try to teach those in my neighborhood and that's all I can do now.
Bless your heart for caring, and thanks to OP.



posted on Sep, 4 2010 @ 03:39 AM
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reply to post by Three_moons
 


Hello Three Moons,

That was my thought.
Anyone - youth or no - that believes killing a possum with 44 whacks is just the thing to do needs psychological help.

Is it horrendous? Yes. Is it a (seemingly) growing fad? Yes also. Are these kids looking for a reaction and attention so badly they'll go to this length to get it? Yes.

Does this mean we should give them negativity and hate?

No.

These kids need help. Plain and simple. ANd beofre they can grow up and continue thinking and belieing as adults, it's still 'ok' to whack a possum 44 times with a cleaver.

peace



posted on Sep, 6 2010 @ 03:43 AM
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reply to post by silo13
 

Hello silo13,

I don't understand the mindset of animal abusers anymore than I understand the mindset of people who only see hate and negativity and don't want to deal with the underlying issues. In order to solve a problem you first have to identify it. Once it's identified you can choose to only punish or punish and solve the identified problem. It seems like the justice system only wants to incarcerate and monetarily fine people then hope for best.




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